


Quentin the wondercat

by Rlkite



Category: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Genre: F/F, only mention of the twins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-25
Updated: 2018-04-23
Packaged: 2018-09-02 04:17:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 18,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8650975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rlkite/pseuds/Rlkite
Summary: Andy likes cats, Miranda hates them....





	1. Chapter 1

Miranda hated cats.

Andy, however, did not.

Hence how she arrived home one night after work to find a ginger tomcat sprawled out in front of their fireplace like a smug apparition, licking his leg in front of her. Patricia, of course, was little to no help having spent the past five minutes simply staring at it and wagging her tail. She sighed.

“Darling!” She could hear rummaging coming from one of the two studies on the second floor; however which one Andrea was occupying she wasn’t certain. “Andrea!” It was the closest thing to a shout the magazine tycoon ever came to.

“…Yes?!” Came the muffled reply.

“Darling could you come down here a moment?”  She heard the creek of a drawer being closed before the soft padding of footsteps as her wife descended the stairs.  Soon enough a brunette head was popped around the door frame.

“What’s wrong Mir’?” Soft quizzical eyes sought hers before Miranda pointed to the creature quirking a brow. “Oh, so this is Quentin… the girls said that they’d really like a cat for their birthday. I thought I’d surprise them as they’re staying over at Becky’s tonight from school. You remember?”  Miranda nods whilst still eyeing up the feline who had now moved on to grooming his front paw. “I got him from the local pet rescue; I thought you might like the name?” She could feel the brown eyes of her lover on her, searching for a hint of a response from the editor. However before Miranda had a chance to so much as twitch an eyelid at the journalist’s direction the cat started to walk towards her. So she did what any normal, middle aged woman would do; and promptly ran out the room. Leaving her highly amused spouse in her wake.

Andrea found her sat on one of the bar stools in the kitchen nursing a coffee.

“Are we going to talk about your apparent fear of cats or shall I pretend that I haven’t just seen the great “Miranda Priestly” _run away_ from an overweight tabby cat?” She stopped short when she noticed the shorter woman was using visibly shaking hands to hold her coffee mug. “Honey… why did you never tell me?”

“Because it’s a _cat_ Andrea. A _cat”_ She shook her head once before staring into the warm liquid. “I am supposed to _instil_ fear, not feel it.” Instead she felt a soft hand on her shoulder and a kiss to her temple. When she next looked up she noted that her journalist had kneeled next to her, allowing them to be almost eye-to-eye. “I didn’t want you to think less of me.” She whispered before being drawn into a kiss.

“I couldn’t think less of you if I tried Love, I will always think you’re amazing.” She hadn’t realised that there were tears in her eyes until soft thumbs wiped away the trails down each of her cheeks. “I can take him back to the cattery if you’d like?” She shook her head stating how unfair on the children it was. No she was going to live with that _creature_ , so long as it stayed _far_ away from her. At. All. Times. She’d grown fond of Patricia, her beloved St Bernard after the initial wariness. She’d get over a mangy tabby cat.

Or so she thought. Within a week the cat had managed to impregnate the majority of her impeccably clean townhouse with its fur as well as having a litterbox taking up space within the ground floor bathroom. She now ensured that the door was closed over to save the entire ground floor from smelling of _cat._ The girls were obviously thrilled earning Andy the title of “cool Mom” for at least three days afterwards as Miranda’s fear of cats had been well known with the girls, hence them asking Andy instead, knowing she was the most likely to agree.

Eventually the creature had become bold enough to start trying to explore the rooms further into the house. This included her bedroom. One morning; whilst wrapped around a sleeping Andrea; she was awoken to a tickling on her nose. Twitching her eyes open she found the tail of the cat had been tickling her nose as he slept just above Andrea’s head.

She was told that the scream she emitted was loud enough to wake the dead.

Certainly louder than any other noise than Andy had heard come from the softly spoken editor before. Once she’d removed the sleep fog from her brain she’d put the pieces together about what must have happened. The cat had sprinted away, leaving the room from the gap in the doorway that he must’ve created sometime in the night and her wife. Well, Miranda was sat up in some kind of daze, tears trailing down her porcelain cheeks. Her perfect white coif dishevelled from sleep. Andy’s heart froze at seeing the normally unshakeable woman she loved looking so distraught. For once Andy was glad that the girls and their younger brother, Spencer were staying with her parents for the weekend.  As for her editor…

“I think I need help Andrea. I _cannot_ live like this.” There was a shake in Miranda’s voice that she wished she could control. It was bad enough that Andrea had seen her lose control like that. “Maybe I need to see a psychiatrist?” At that comment the journalist snorted. It earned her the “stare” from her wife but it was worth it.

“I don’t think you need to see a psychiatrist Babe, what I think would help would maybe be if you didn’t immediately run out the room once the cat comes in? He’s scared of you too you know, he’s managed to realise the rest of us won’t hurt him but with you before you notice he’s there he’s on edge.” Miranda feels the bed dip behind her as she’s pulled backwards into a tight embrace. “Do you think you could try I don’t know, maybe touching the cat whilst the kids aren’t here?” Other than the stiffening within her embrace Miranda gave no reply before finally sighing and giving a swift single nod. “Okay, I’m…” she lands a kiss to a temple, “…proud” and another “…of you.” Before getting up to go find the tabby cat.

She returned minutes later with the long suffering, now no doubt partially deaf cat in her arms. It was purring, the thing was actually _purring_ as Andrea tickled behind its ear. “Quentin, it’s time to meet your other mother.”

“We are not the _mothers_ of this cat; we already have 3 wonderful childr-.” She was stopped in her tracks when her hand was lifted and placed on the back of the cat. She sucked in an intake of breath, waiting for the cat to swipe at her. But he didn’t, he simply leaned into her touch and started _purring._ After a few minutes of this Andrea looked into her eyes in question, with another single nod the cat was placed into her lap with the whisper of “I’ll go get the lint remover… before you have to ask.”

An hour later both Miranda and the cat had fallen asleep, leaving an amused Andy to herself to both get changed for a start to a lazy weekend. And snap a photo, of course. It’d been six years since the start of their romance; they’d watch the twins grow from prank pulling eight year olds to beautiful albeit-awkward 14 year olds. Spencer was coming up to four and was the spitting imagine of the younger woman but with the quiet watchful eyes of his other mother. However the biggest change she’d noticed was in her wife. A woman whom fiercely protected her private life, often seeming to be the devil herself in the way she handled business. With her fake, crocodile smile and her condescending sneer. It was only after leaving runway and bumping into the editor completely by chance that Andy had had the good fortune to see another side to the editor. A side in which she kept hidden, for fear of being hurt. A much softer, loving, _warm_ side to the editor that was not funny due to some unfortunate plebe’s expense, but funny in her own right. After being well and truly “courted” by her white haired spouse she was asked to move in with Miranda and the girls, agreeing almost immediately (she had originally wanted the editor to sweat a little over the outcome, relinquishing that to excitement, she had called back ten minutes later) and the rest they say was history. However Andy loved learning new things about her white haired beauty and seeing her lose her cool over a ginger haired moggy was both adorable and surprising, it reminded Andy why she fell in love with the editor all over again.

If only she knew how to remove the cat from her lovers grip… she wanted some cuddles too…


	2. 6 years earlier

_6 years previously…._

It had been 2 months since Andy left _Runway_ and its charismatic editor in chief. Sometimes she missed it, mostly she didn’t. The one thing; or person; that she couldn’t seem to get out of her mind since leaving was the white haired beauty at the head of the magazine. She’d thought the distance from Miranda would help. However, it simply seemed to magnify the fact that Andy would never be able to compete with high-flying gentlemen (or creeps) that Miranda would likely be dating by now.

None of that seemed to matter now though, as Andy was late for a meeting with her editor. Glancing at her watch whilst balancing her coffee and notepad in the other hand she was sprint-walking down the block towards her offices. In that instant of lost concentration she didn’t see the familiar flash of white hair, nor the smaller body that had been talking on a cell phone whispering marching orders to her lackeys. Their bodies collided with a _thwack_ and a dropped coffee cup.

“Oww… Urgh, I’m really sorry. I’m late for a meeting and I wasn’t looking where I was going, which isn’t your fault. Ma’am can I help yo-…” Andy finally saw the piercing blue eyes of the woman she was currently lying across, legs bunched up in a mess of limbs.

The silence spanned an uncomfortable amount of time whilst widening blue eyes searched panic filled brown ones.

 “I wasn’t looking where I was going either.” The admission was soft, barely above a whisper but it registered with the brunette as was intended. As they untangled themselves it became very clear that in landing she’d managed to injure her former boss. The way she was holding her wrist and the quiet grunts of pain suggested that she was doing an admirable job of hiding true discomfort. Attempting to remove herself from the smaller woman as softly as possible she was mumbling many apologies as a hand that was rapidly becoming clammy grasped her wrist. “A-Andrea, the ER…. I need to go to the ER.”

The cab ride was uncomfortable as Andy phoned her already irate boss to tell him that she was unable to attend the morning’s meetings, and that he probably should expect her to miss those in the afternoon as well. Whilst a groaning Miranda at her side was occasionally eying her up as if she was prey in between her face contorting in pain. She then had a phone thrust in her face with a whispered command to phone _Runway_. Hearing a surprised Emily on the phone was almost worth it. Almost.

Finally, they reached the nearest hospital and she was able to usher Miranda into the building without a hitch. After watching Miranda talk to the receptionist for a small while they ended up in the waiting room until her name was called, with a suspected broken wrist and a call to the orthopaedic surgeon.

“I don’t want a cast Andrea. Can you imagine _me_ in a _cast?_ ” She drawled incredulously. “I mean, I knew eventually I’d bump into you but not like this…”She trailed off turning to stare off into space.

“How things ended Miranda, I’m sorry.” The older woman turned around lowering her gaze and shaking her head.

“That’s irrelevant now, you’ve managed to hurt me physically now as well.”

“It was an acci-.”

“I know. I _know._ Now isn’t the time to talk about the “incident” that happened in Paris is it? I’m just surprised to see you. I assume that you current position is to your liking?”

“Yes, t-thank you for the letter of recommendation, it was too kind.” She pauses when Miranda’s “good hand” is raised slightly.

“What’s kind Andrea is the fact that you’ve accompanied me to this hospital, arranged transport, called in to work saying you won’t be in all without me asking for help. I’d ask if you had an ulterior motive, such as guilt, Andrea if I didn’t know you better. I might not be _thrilled_ to be here but I will say thank you for coming with me. This will only happen once.” She nodded slightly before turning away.

“Well, considering it’s my fault that you’re here then of course I’d come.” She knew that wasn’t what the editor meant but the deflection was all she could come up with. She heard a soft sigh just before the Doctor came into the room.

An hour later they were leaving the hospital, Miranda with a “garish indigo” cast whilst Andy was wondering what to do now. Her thoughts were answered when an almost undecipherable whisper suggested that she should come to the townhouse to be a “pack mule”. As it happened Andy simply had to carry Miranda’s handbag. It seemed very much like an excuse to her however she refused to say anything. Having seen Miranda in pain caused a strange protectiveness in Andy that she didn’t recognise. She wanted to be able to take away her pain, unable to do so all she could do was ensure that she took her meds and had a steaming coffee in her hand.  The perfect Miranda Priestly looked totally ruffled whilst sitting in her study wrapped up in a cast looking tiny, angry and irked. Her white mane in a fluffy mess from the amount of times she rubbed her hand through it. It was adorable and Andy couldn’t help but feel the need to wrap her arms around her and kiss the pain away.

Thankfully she had self-control.

It seemed however that the white-haired beauty in front of her however, had lost some of hers as she sat and watched the steel curtain of the “Devil’s” self-control slip as tears slid from her eyes.

“I thought I’d lost you.” She snapped up and locked eyes with those all-too familiar blue ones she had been lost in so many times before. Before she could reply however Miranda continued. “Yet here you are? I could begin to feel as if nothing untoward had happened between the two of us. _However_ then I remember being _abandoned in Paris_ and it all floods back again. I was right in saying that you were my biggest disappointment. I’d finally begin to trust myself and open up to someone and you threw it all in my face Andrea, this wasn’t about my professional life. These past two months have hurt me personally.” She looked at Andy with wide eyes. “Andrea, how can I trust you again? You try your damndest to inform me about this coup before almost immediately leaving me via a Parisian fountain. Now you’re here breaking my wrist and looking exceptionally contrite. It’s taking everything in me not to neither lash out nor demand that you walk away. Why are you here?”

“Because you needed me to carry your purse?” The replying look said all that needed to be said however the mogul voiced her opinion nonetheless.

“We both know that’s not true, is it _Andrea_?” She could feel her face flush as she shook her head. She could see the question in the editor’s eyes but she didn’t truly know how to respond. She cast her eyes to the floor hoping that the older woman wouldn’t see her struggling. Until she felt a smaller hand wrap round her own. “Andrea, I am not one who takes risks in her personal life. I don’t just have myself to think about and the twin’s, despite being occasional monsters, are sensitive. Therefore I will only allow myself to open up to you the once. I care about you; these past 2 months have been awful for me. I’m hoping that I’m correct in assuming that they have been uncomfortable for you too?” As Andy nods her head and starts to sniff slightly Miranda continues. “Okay, so I’ll admit today has been pretty emotionally charged and we’re both no doubt exhausted. I’m doped up on pain killers and you’re wracked with guilt. But one day, hopefully in the near future I would like to take you to dinner. Andrea, would you have dinner with me?”

She looked up and Andy could see the barely masked hope in her eyes. Nodding she whispered “Yes.”

“Good, although I fear you may have to cut up my steak for me.”

“I can deal with that”

_And thus started the awkward romance of Andrea Sachs and Miranda Priestly cat owners extraordinaire's._

 


	3. It's Christmas time

Andy was terrified, it was her first Christmas with the Priestly clan and she was truly inordinately shaking in her boots. For you see, it was her first time with the twins. At Christmas. She’d been dating their mother since March earlier that year; it wasn’t like the children had never spent some time with her.

But Christmas was special Andy knew that, she didn’t want to ruin it.

Which is how she found herself dressed up as Santa with large welly boots and a donned beard in order to be “spotted” by the girls who now at the age of nine had become a little bit dubious of St Nick. Their mother wished for them to maintain the belief a little longer. Hence Andy’s current outfit.

As she “snook” through the hall way, ensuring to leave muddy footprints through the hall (her partner had insisted that this was the _only_ time that she would allow it) she heard the tell-tale signs of two very excited girls spotting her. What with the piercing screams and the “ohmygoditshim” Andy smiled to herself. She knew that they wouldn’t actually come down the stairs to see her, what with the penalty of death that Miranda had imposed on them.

…at least she thought….

Suddenly a small ginger child was stood in front of her tugging on her coat.

“Hi Andrea.” It was Cassidy. Of course, it was _always_ Cassidy.

“Excuse me?”

“Are you the real Santa?”  And, obviously Caroline had joined her. As ever. She did hear the sharp intake of breath from their mother from the floor above. She must have been standing with them prior to this conversation.

“Yeah Andy, are you? Are you the real Santa?” Their eyes had grown into the size of saucers and they were quivering with excitement. She simply nodded.

“OhmygodAndyistherealSANTA!!!!” They both started squealing whilst jumping up and down.

“Okay guys, I’m going to have to head out now I have lots of other boys and girls that I need to visit tonight. How about you head back upstairs to bed and I’ll see you guys tomorrow?” With that she walked out the door, heading into her car wondering for a while what she would do.

 _Miranda: As much as I like the fact the children are practically vibrating, I’m afraid you might have to continue to hide in your car for a while. They’re far from sleep. Would you be so kind as to acquire a nightcap for us both whilst you wait?_ She sighed, starting the engine.

An hour later saw Andy sneaking back into the townhouse handing wine to a very amused Miranda in her wake.  Sending her a death glare whilst removing her boots, hat and gloves Andy continued to storm into the kitchen retrieving two glasses before continuing into the den further into the townhouse.

“You know before you I’d never heard the girls sing my partners praises.” She feels a smaller, paler hand sneak into hers. “And not even Greg would agree to dress up as Father Christmas for them.”  She feels the thumb circling the back of her hand. “They loved it Andrea, and I… and I, I love you.”

Her eyes go wide and she _knows_ there’s a blush to both of their cheeks.

“You love me?”

“I do, love you, yes.” She finally looks for those blue eyes, the same blue eyes that are finding themselves to be very preoccupied with her sock adorned feet.

“Oh well that’s good.” Blue eyes snap up locking with her own.

“How so?”

“Because I happen to love you too.” She watched as the blue eyes became saucer wide and grinned as she found herself drawn into a long, long kiss. “Gosh Miranda I’ve been waiting a while to say that.” They kept kissing, tongues joining in a familiar dance known well to the both of them.

“Me too…” The admission was made in a whisper as the older of the two broke away slightly for breath.

Unfortunately they were both far too preoccupied to hear the quiet thumping of 8 (almost 9) year old feet pattering their way towards the kitchen. They did however hear the intake of breath and the tiny “Gosh I’m so sorry Mommy.”  As they swiftly moved away “Sorry, I only came down for a drink. I couldn’t sleep.”

Cassidy as ever had come down on a scouting mission. “Andy if you’re _really Santa Claus_ why are you back home before 12?” She was cunning, Andy would give her that.

“Because I decided to finish early so I could come home and stay with you guys. Is that okay?” She receives a nod and a sly grin. “What?”

“So Andy…. I just saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus.” The girl falls into a fit of giggles, the twins of which could be heard somewhere behind the door.

“I can hear you Caroline.” She hears a muffled sorry and bare feet making their way back upstairs.

“Right you, number 2. Please could you get that drink so that Mommy knows you’re both asleep? As opposed to being here _interrupting_ Mommy while she’s kissing _Santa Claus._ ”  Miranda decides to speak up. Cassidy leaves grumbling about the fact her mother reminded her of her order of birth and the fact it was “unfair” and she was obviously “the better twin”. Both adults refused to comment.

Andy feels that hand again, turning her own and bringing it to those perfect lips. She herself being tugged upstairs to the third floor past the girls’ bedrooms and into the master bedroom that she’d been frequenting lately.

She starts to get changed into her night clothes as Miranda starts her nightly routine in the en suite. Once her silver haired beauty re-emerged from the bathroom they swapped, following a chaste kiss on the way.  Ten minutes later they were snuggled up together in the king-sized bed that was the main attraction of Miranda’s bedroom. She snuggles into the scent of her lover nuzzling into the pure white hair line, wrapping her arms around the slim waste.

“So you love me? And I love you.” She feels the nod and a mumbled yes.

“The kids will never let us forget about tonight will they?” She again feels the shaken head of “no”.

“Merry Christmas love.” The hands holding hers tighten whilst thumbs rub at her hands.

“You too Darling.” The voice is thick with sleep, she feels Miranda starting to drift off as she places a kiss to the head of the woman that she _loved_ and who _loved her._


	4. Starting 2007 with a bang

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had wanted to write this around New Years. However life got in the way, sorry

Sadly for them they day they got “outed”, only a few hours into the year 2007 was also the day that Miranda would call the “worst day of my life (so far)”.

The day had started pretty well Miranda thought, they’d been watching the New Year’s celebrations on the television, shared a kiss when the clock struck twelve, went to bed at around half one after sharing a bottle of wine, made reverently passionate love until even later in the night. Andy had decided to get up at around ten after Miranda had awoken to the warm feeling of a body wrapped around her; she had been told by her younger girlfriend to stay in bed whilst the journalist went to the local deli to get them some breakfast and coffee. After a chaste kiss she was out the front door.

Only to be hit by a drunk driver only a block from home; their bagels and coffee strewn on the roadside. Miranda had heard the sirens as the ambulance screeched by. She also heard her cell phone ringing a few minutes later, anxiously she answered the call.

“Hello, is this Miriam?”

“Pardon?”

“Is this Miriam Princhek, we believe you are close to an “Andrea Sachs” you’re the most contacted number on her cell phone.” She was shaking, not only because the man on the other line clearly had no idea who either of them were both in pronouncing Andrea’s name incorrectly (ignoring the emphasis on the A at the end) but also was using Miranda’s birth name. The name Andy had put as Miranda’s contact once they had started dating.

“Yes, yes that’s me. Is _Andrea_ okay?”

“She’s been involved in a hit and run, she’s said she was on her way back to see you when the incident occurred and has been asking for you since we arrived. We’re on the way to Bellevue now.”

She could hear Andrea in the background, she sounded in pain but otherwise coherent, she could hear her name being mentioned over and over again. “If you could be there as soon as you can, one of us will wait for you.  Oh and if you know anyone named Miranda that would be most helpful, she keeps asking for both you and a woman named Miranda and we’re confused as to who is who.”

“I’ll try my best. I can be there in twenty minutes, thank you for informing me.”

Thus ensued the mad panic that was getting from the townhouse to the hospital in as little time as possible. She was in Andrea’s sweat pants and university hoodie and tee; she took a cab for the first time in _forever_ and had no make-up on. Her famous silver hair was limp against her forehead and she looked like she hadn’t washed in days.  The driver, rather kindly, ignored all this to take her to the hospital in a far quicker time than she had expected due to the traffic and she tipped him as such.

Once she had scrambled into the hospital, tears already flowing in gusto she found herself face to face with a very tall athletic looking man who was clearly searching for somebody. Their eyes locked.

“Miriam?”  He pointed at her and she simply nodded…. Then she noticed the widening of his eyes. “ _You’re_ Miranda…. Miranda _Priestly.”_  Again she nodded, feeling the pinking of her cheeks as she blushed.

“I had hoped I wouldn’t be recognised.”

“Sadly you’re talking to a man with two teenage daughters. I’ll try to keep it quiet but I’m fairly certain I won’t be the only one to recognise you. I’ll take you to her, follow me.”

She found Andrea in a side room; she looked so small and fragile on the bed strapped to some monitors. As she approached she noticed the Doctor in the room.

“Hi, you must be Miriam. Come in, don’t look so scared she’s okay she’s just fallen asleep due to the pain killers we’ve put her on but as you might be able to tell-.” He gestured to her left leg, which is in a cast. “She’s going to need to be on crutches for a while. She’s cracked some of her ribs as well. However, she’s doing fine and should be able to leave here tonight. Are you family?”

“Yes, we’re family. Can I stay here?”

“Yes, we’re just going to keep her in observation until she wakes up and then you can take her home.”

Then began the long wait for Andrea to wake up and open her beautiful brown eyes.  After three hours of sitting in the chair next to her stroking her hand the eyes Miranda had feared for a moment would never open again started to blink. They blinked some more before finally focusing on the blue eyes staring right back at her.

“Hey…” Was the first whisper that emerged from those lips.

“Good afternoon love.”

“So…I got hit by a car.”

“Yeah, you made me panic there love.” She grips the hand she was holding hostage harder when she noticed the tears developing around those eyes she so loved.

“I’m so sorry Miranda. I’m sorry I ruined the day.”

“No. No Darling, don’t say that this isn’t your fault at all. It’s the idiot that hit you whose fault this is.”

“I just wanted to spoil you on New Years’.” Miranda starts stroking the chestnut hair in front of her.

“And you did Darling, you did.”

It was then that she notices the flash of a camera coming from the corridor through the window in the door. They could hear the muffled shouts of “Priestly” from the other side as the Doctor they had seen before quietly came into the room.

“You’re not who you said you were, are you? Ms Priestly?” He held back a smirk before commenting that Andy was free to be discharged and that they would do their best to minimise the impact of the journalists who had managed to scramble their way into the building. “I can’t stop the ones who are within the corridor however we do currently have security within all entrances and exits to ensure your safety whilst leaving the premises.” They nodded in understanding. “If you’d like to follow me I can lead you the safest way out. I’ve noticed that there appears to be a town car loitering about within the car park. Would it happen to belong to you?” Again there was nodding. “Okay, I’ll tell security to notify the driver.”

It was a mere two hours before the news broke and several gossip sites had photos of the two of them within the hospital, Miranda holding onto Andrea’s hand whilst stroking her hair. Andrea being pushed in a wheelchair out of the hospital, Miranda following her in tow. Both looking tired, pained, relieved and _most importantly_ in love.

And so started 2007, the year that was later deemed to be ruled by the “Ice Queen and her Princess”. As predicted page 6 had a field day, although during the majority of the press interest Andy found that she was unable to really get around much and Miranda found herself seriously protective of her girlfriend. Hence there being very little in the way of photographs of the two lovers together. It was only once Andy’s cast was off and the news had died down a little that the two were really photographed in the same picture. By then they’d become old news and although they did become occasional features of the gossip rags (mostly due to their cute dating arrangements) they found that they were far less interesting than originally deemed.

Except for one spat in an Italian restaurant over the toppings of a pizza. Though they never mentioned that incident again, surprisingly.


	5. Enjoying your morning coffee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I got over my stuff and kept writing. Hope that's alright. Thanks to those who told me to keep going.

They decided to move in together a few weeks after Andy’s cast was removed, she’d practically been living in the town house since she broke her leg. So once they were both able Andy started to pack her things, ended her lease on her flat and moved in. Although Miranda was known to be the most OCD of the two (or in the world Andy thought) she seemed to allow Andy’s furniture and nick knacks into the town house with very little persuasion.

They settled into a routine that seemed to fit them just fine. Miranda would get up first; spend a ridiculous amount of time in the en suite before descending the stairs to go make coffee. If that didn’t wake up the brunette then she would find herself being roused by warm hands stroking her hair and a coffee being thrust in her face. Sometimes they would both sit in bed drinking coffee, sometimes Miranda would be running late and leave swiftly with a kiss placed on Andy’s forehead and a mumbled “sorry”. Either way Andy was always woken with a coffee and soft blue eyes smiling at her.

Therefore it surprised her when, on one very ordinary day when she was handed a coffee one day with a kiss on the forehead a brush of hands through her hair and a swift “bye darling” as Miranda practically ran out the door. She smiled drinking her hot cup of loveliness. Only to discover that once she’d drunk her coffee, there written on the bottom of the mug were the words

“ _Andrea, would you marry me?”_   

She almost dropped the mug, eyes bugging out their sockets as she read and re-read the question over and over. Looking over the mug she had in her hand she noticed that it wasn’t in fact one of the many mugs that they had in their collection (Andy had a few favourites from her years in college and Miranda, surprisingly, seemed to have a thing about large patterned mugs. Despite the fact they clashed with every piece of décor she had in the townhouse. Only close family ever saw them). However this mug, this mug was _new…._ And clearly here for a specific purpose.

**A: In the off chance you’re waiting for an answer as I’m sure you are then I’m afraid you’ll be waiting a while. I refuse to answer before I can say it face-to-face.**

**M: Well you’ll have to come downstairs then. I booked today off ;).**

She hears a knock on the door before the distinctive sweep of white hair curls its way around the doorframe, sharp blue eyes trepidatiously rising up to meet her own brown ones. The owner of which appeared to be visibly shaking in an uncharacteristic show of nerves.  Andy could see the question within those eyes so she smiled and patted the bed next to her.

“Come here.” Her girlfriend stood stock still, clutching the door tight. “Miranda, baby. Come. Here. Please.” She reaches out before several swift movements end up with a dipping in the bed and two warm, shaking hands taking her own. Bringing Miranda’s hand to her own, giving her knuckles a kiss she hears a sigh and feels as Miranda starts to calm down.

“You ok Babe?” She sees the nod before hearing the “Mmmhmmm”.

“Darling would you. Will you? Do you think, I mean maybe you would like to?”

“Miranda.”

“Yes darling?”

“Yes I w-” She’s unable to reply due to the lips that are crushed to her own.

“You want to marry me? You really want to marry me Andrea?” She intersperses kisses all over Andrea’s face and neck. “Oh my gosh Andrea. We’re gonna get married!”

“Yeah, yeah we’re getting married.”

The rest of the day was spent together in bed, only leaving for food and when the thunderous sound of ginger offspring entering the house. “MOOOOOOOOOOM”

“Love, your children are here.”  The crown of hair that was currently nestling into her shoulder snuggled further in.

“So they are.” The thundering came closer.

“They’re on their way.”

“…yes.”

“Mir’ we’re only in our underwear.” The word _fuck_ was whispered before a blur of pale skin whipped around Andrea before a robe was covering the body in front of her and another was thrown over her head. “Put it on, swift.”

Exactly ten seconds later the girls threw themselves into the room. It took them two seconds to realise that both woman weren’t dressed at 4.30 pm and that they’d clearly walked into something they shouldn’t have.

“So mom did she say yes?” Cassidy said. Caroline, on the other hand just went bright red.

“You guys were in on this?”

“Well _yeah_. You think _Mom_ would’ve have had the nerve to ask you.” They all glanced at Miranda who had turned a lovely shade burgundy. “We just gave her a little shove.”

“Andy. Would you want to be, like, our second Mommy?” This time it was Caroline, she was by far the more sensitive of the two.

“Only if you would like me to?” The girl nods before climbing up onto the bed and hugging the brunette. “Yes please.”

The rest of the day consisted of the rare treat of pizza, the flavours of which the girls chose therefore one was mushroom and spinach and the other Hawaiian. Neither of which Andy was particularly thrilled by but she ate them nonetheless (handing Miranda her pineapples when the girls weren’t looking). She could hear the occasional chuckle from her left side before a hand landed on her thigh, squeezing lightly.

She got Miranda’s mushrooms in return so she wasn’t at a total loss.

Towards the end of the night they followed the girls to the smaller den whilst they watched a Disney film. One that Andy happened to enjoy herself. One that Miranda put up with purely for the look on “her girls’” faces. This term now included the brunette, much to the glowing feeling of her heart. Midway through the soft padding of a large St Bernard came through the door; Patricia’s large head was placed in Andy’s lap causing the brunette to absentmindedly start stroking her neck and ears. Only to find the soft velvet box that was tied to the dog’s collar.

Miranda looked up at the gasp, smiling at the younger woman when she realised what she’d _finally_ discovered.

“You found it then did you?”

“Mir’ how long has this been here?”

“All day. I was wondering if I should have retrieved it before dinner for fear that Patricia might harm it.”

“Babe it’s gorgeous. Gosh, I-I love it and well, I love you!”

“I’m glad you like it. I love you too.”

“Could you put it on me please?” The brunette held out her slender hand.

Gagging noises could be heard in the background as young twin girls had decided that they were fed up with the affection shown by the woman. When the two older ladies started kissing they found themselves pelted with throw pillows and the direction to “get a room.” Andy decided then and there that there was no-where else she would wish to be.


	6. family's are forever

Getting engaged seemed simple Miranda mused as it was becoming a very real occasion that they would have to meet each other’s _parents._ Both sets of which did not approve of _her._ Andrea’s she could understand but her own 75 year old mother had refused to talk to her since she moved to New York in the early 80’s to start her own career. The last time she’d been back to Minnesota had been when the girls’ were younger and the both of her babies had been clawed at by her mother’s mangy cat. She’d hoped a phone call would’ve sufficed, however her mother had insisted grumbling about a third marriage and why she couldn’t just “stop instead of trying out a new gender”. It wasn’t that her mother was homophobic; it was more that she just generally _disapproved_ of anyone having more happiness than her. This, Miranda mused, wasn’t exactly hard.

Andrea’s parents on the other hand she could understand. They had been concerned about their daughter’s welfare after hearing the stories Andrea had given to account for Miranda’s conduct as an employer. She was self-aware enough to realise that those stories were likely to be unfavourable. Although Andrea had told her parents that they had been dating for a while now she could understand a parents’ need to protect. The first skype call between the four of them had been particularly frosty. However eventually it would seem that her mother had defrosted enough to allow Miranda to enter the _house,_ Andrea had insisted that this was a good sign. She had also insisted that they were to be sleeping in separate rooms; ergo one of them was to be sleeping on the sofa in the lounge. Miranda had already decided that wasn’t going to be her.

So this then lead them to be travelling to Minnesota in order for them to visit her mother. They then had a car hired for them to drive the 14 hours to Ohio to visit Andrea’s parents before again driving back to New York. Miranda truly detested car trips, they’re too cramped and the girls’ get restless whilst in the car. This always ends up with one of them getting hurt.

So there they were, waiting for their flight in the first class lounge. The girls were sleeping on a nearby sofa whilst Andrea was ordering their coffee. It was 4.30 am and all four of them were beyond tired. Miranda believed that they looked akin to the living dead in actuality, in fact when they had arrived in J.F.K. the girls noticed one of the higher business partners. He on the other hand did not appear to recognise Miranda, she was duly grateful for that.

One thing that Andrea would never tell those outside of the family bubble would be that she has a fear of flying. Miranda had seen it up close when they had gone to Paris at first she had assumed that it was due to the long flight and Andrea’s emotional torment at the time. However, she had been wrong and since they entered the speedy boarding que to board the plane she could feel the tremble in the hand of her fiancée. It was hard to keep the girls’ distracted enough to not notice Andrea’s fear. Once on the plane she was able to sooth her fear as the girls’ were sat on the opposite side of the gangway. The children quickly falling asleep before the plane even takes off, Andrea on the other hand sits stiff as a board for the majority of the flight only drifting off in the 45 minutes before landing. Miranda, sadly, didn’t get to sleep at all. Between her snoring children and her fearful fiancée she felt nothing but pride _and_ unnaturally defensive. She felt like a grizzly bear at times especially when an _oaf_ of a human was near her girls’. When Andrea had become included in that statement she would never know, but she’d not change it either.

The landing woke Andrea up, who in turn grasped Miranda’s hand so strongly that she assumed she might lose circulation. The whimper in her ear made her heart constrict as she kissed the forehead that was resting on her shoulder.

“It’s alright love, almost over now.” She watched on as Andrea’s eyes closed tight tucking her face into Miranda’s neck.  “Shhhh love, it’ll be okay.” She could feel the shake of Andrea’s head and the whisper of a “no” as the plane continued to descend. Her hands gripped at Miranda’s shirt causing the smaller woman to pull her arms around her whilst rocking them backwards and forwards. This was how they ended their flight. Andrea tucked up against Miranda and the pair of them rocking backwards and forwards. It was only once they had landed that Andrea felt safe.

Once the car was collected it was only a twenty minute drive before they arrived at the house of Mirabella Princhek. My god did Miranda not want to leave the safety of the Mercedes they’d hired. Sadly though she saw the shuffling white haired figure of her mother as she slowly opened the door to her house before ushering the girls in with a small smile. She then stood in front of the house whilst silently glaring at Andrea, crossing her arms. With a sigh Miranda heaved herself out of the car.

“Hello mother, so nice to see you.”

“Don’t lie _Miriam_ it’s unbecoming.”

“Miria-?”

“Yes, child, _Miriam…_ I take it my daughter has not told you her real name. Despite you being betrothed, much to my distain.”

“Mother, we both know that my name has been legally changed for 25 years since I have been working my way up in _Runway_.”

“I don’t see what’s wrong with your actual name though Miriam?!”

“Not much mother, I just felt it best to not to make it obvious that I was Jew…ish.” She paused at the hand that has slipped into her own.

“Well in that case Mir’ would seem appropriate surely?” The love in Andrea’s eyes seemed to pierce through the sadness Miranda felt. “How about that love? Mir’ sound appropriate?” She nods watching the blush of anger on her mother’s face as she finally stood aside to let the two women in the cosy semi-detached home.

“I’m certain your old home is not as ‘luxurious’ as you’re used to now Miriam I mean I hear you have a woman who cleans your house for you now?” She stared Miranda down for a while. “Remember where your room is or shall I draw you a map?” She pointed up the stairs in the vague direction of her former bedroom.  “You’re welcome there too, I haven’t set up the guest room in the hope that you wouldn’t actually be coming. Decide amongst the two of you whose sleeping on the floor.”

“The floor?” Miranda dragged Andrea up the stairs before she could ask the older white haired woman any more questions. Once they reached the time capsule of a bedroom Andrea understood the statement. Miranda’s childhood bedroom only had a single bed.

It was a tiny room at the end of the hall, her mother’s room being over on the other side of the house. The guest room was between the two and the main bathroom was opposite. Miranda’s was by far the smallest. It had also been mostly untouched from when she had left for college. Andy Warhol posters were on the walls as was a large map of the world. It had pins in, Andrea started to look at them, noticing Paris and London being pinned with the largest pins as was New York. There was also a piece of cotton that connected her home in Minnesota to New York. Next to the map was a vintage cover of _Runway_ with the words “one day” written neatly in the corner.

“I knew what I wanted from a young age.” Miranda had silently moved behind her young love. “In that I knew I wanted to _leave.”_  Other than the desk in the corner there were no other personal items within the room.

“Are you particularly bothered about sharing a single bed?”

“It’ll be cramped.”

“True”

“And we both know that you spread out whilst I lay on my side.”

“Also true, up for it though?”

“Of course darling. I’m more concerned on how the twins are going to react to my mother.” Andrea took Miranda’s hand kissing her knuckles.

“Oh they’re going to totally run her in circles.”

“Totally.”

“How long do you think she’ll last before she caves? Give it 12 hours?”

“Darling I wouldn’t give her six.”


	7. The difficulty of mothers

In the end they were both wrong, it took the twins all of thirty minutes to freak their grandmother out, an hour and a half for her to be officially irritated and three hours for her to allow the two other woman to be aware of how much she wished they hadn’t invaded her privacy. Miranda silently fumed. It was one thing for her mother to insult her, another thing for her mother to try to insult Andrea and _totally_ unacceptable for her to make her children feel ostracised. One more comment and she was going to go loco at her mother.

“So children, what do your friends say about the fact you practically have _two_ mothers? They must find it strange surely?”

“Umm no not really Gramma, a lot of our friends have two moms also.” Cassidy said, eyes thinning much like Miranda herself would do.

“Why are you asking? There’s nothing wrong with having two Moms’, right?” Caroline’s wide blue eyes looked towards her mother whilst crawling towards Andrea to rest her head against her shin.  Andrea was shaking her head in a “no” motion before being interrupted by Mirabella.

“I wouldn’t say that there’s anything particularly _wrong_ with it child. It just pains me to know that what your mother is doing is unnatural and forcing you children into a life like this sinful display.”

The look on the girls’ faces told enough to Miranda on how distraught they were. Caroline had even started to cry, fat tears collected in the corners of her eyes even as Andrea had already started to whisper to her that what her grandmother was saying was untrue.

“May I have a word with you _mother,_ in private please?”

“I don’t see why whatever you have to say can’t be said here.”

“ _Because_ unlike you mother, I don’t wish to say something I’d regret in front of my children.” She got up walking towards the kitchen; she paused to kiss each child on the head reminding them that he loved them before chastely kissing Andrea giving her a look before she headed to the other room.

Once in the kitchen she swung around to face her mother, reaching around her to close the door.

“What the hell was that?” She whispered directing her Icey glare on the woman she learnt it off. Simply receiving a shrug in reply before her mother finally said “You should know how I feel Miriam.”

“How you feel? Mother your next door neighbours are gay. One of the ladies that have been going to temple with you for years is gay. I don’t believe for a second that you have a problem with the fact I have partnered with a woman.”

“True, but what about the babies?” Miranda could hear the muffled huffs of nosey twins through the closed door but said nothing about it.

“The girls aren’t babies anymore mother. They’re old enough to have an appreciation about what’s going on here and they like Andrea, just as much as I do.”

“How would I know though Miriam I hardly ever see them?”

“Tell me how that is my fault though mother? I offered to acquire you somewhere far more than adequate to move to if you’d have wished to come closer to us. I’ve sent invitations for you to come round at Christmas and birthdays and have never received anything more than a card from you for the twins. Why is it you suddenly feel the urge to protect them?”

“You know _you_ were the one who moved away Miriam, why should I have to follow you? You made your decision.”

“Mom, I moved to make a better life for us! Jesus, why did you give me so much encouragement to then throw it all in my face once I made a name for myself?”

“Because you didn’t come back to take over your fathers’ business, you knew he wanted you to take over the shop once he retired and you left without looking back.”

“Did the boys run it to the ground?” Her mother shook her head. “Did the boys become bankrupt?” Again a shake of the head. “Do the boys hold the highest market in the area for their sector, a feat which daddy could never manage?” This gained her a nod from her mother. “Have the boys made plans for expansion for both a younger market and more stores in the area building upon daddy’s business and creating a brand?” Again her mother nodded. “So tell me mother, why does it matter that I didn’t take over the business from daddy when my younger twin brothers have done far more with it than I would ever have wished to achieve?”

“You remind me so much of him, he just wanted the best for you and when he died it was almost as if you died to. You never came back after that.”

“Sorry…”

“Your children don’t deserve the life you’re setting out for them. Children need a mother and a father, not two mothers. Was there anything wrong with your upbringing?”

“Look, I do not care what you say about me. Say that I abandoned my fathers’ life’s work leaving you in the process. Say I’ve been heartless to you despite asking the three of you to New York every year for Christmas to have that fall on deaf ears. But you do _not_ get to talk to me about how I am raising my daughters and you do _not_ get to say what my children do and do not need. My children have a father, James who I’m sure you remember-.”

“Yes, he was the attractive first husband wasn’t he? Why couldn’t you have stayed with him he was lovely and Jewish.”

“No mother, he was Catholic. Just like his family and the ceremony. All Catholic, you’d have known if you attended. His mother had insisted on a Catholic wedding and none of my own family attended so I wasn’t going to cause a fuss.”

“Well we would have attended, if you hadn’t left!”

“Honestly mother, how could you have expected me to stay? I loved daddy, you know that but I had to do it on my own and his death was too much. There were too many memories I couldn’t come back to that.”

“Yet here you are, with your new bimbo parading her around like some lost puppy. I’ve seen the tabloids this arrangement is not new. Why are you here?”

“I want to marry her mother.”

“You’ve been married without informing me before, why should I care now?”

“Because she’s important, I’ve never felt like this before even when I was with James it was never like this.”

“You want my approval of this? You’ll be waiting an awfully long time if you are.”

“No mother, I don’t need or desire it. I do however hope that you would entertain the idea of attending though. It would mean an awful lot to the children and to me.”

“I will consider it. Now it’s getting late and you guys have been travelling an awfully long time. I suggest you get some rest.” She turned without hesitation, sliding past Miranda and out of the kitchen towards the master bedroom leaving her daughter unable to reply.

The door flew open before she had a chance to catch up with everything that was going on around her this was then followed by the warmth of two small bodies hugging her from either side and a larger taller body giving her a bear hug allowing her to be enveloped by Andrea’s warmth.

Once she had entered the sanctuary of her old bedroom she let the tears fall. By now she trusted Andrea well enough to show her pain without wondering about the potential repercussions. So she simply slipped out of her clothes and tucked herself under the duvet with a sigh. Without words Andrea somehow managed to squash herself up close holding her arms wide for the older woman to embrace. Once the white hair was firmly planted tight to her neck the shudders of tears started as the Editor let down her walls.  She couldn’t believe she’d agreed to take her children here knowing how awful her mother could be. The only thing keeping her above water at that moment were the hushed tones and gentle circles being placed on her back.

 “Honey I love you, please remember that.” It was as if Andrea could read her mind at times. She could feel the press of a kiss to her temple. “No matter what she said to you, however she’s trying to manipulate your feelings I’m here, the twins and I all love you and I know you would never do wrong by us.”

“I love you too.” She felt the replying squeeze that her younger partner gave in acknowledgement. “Darling, I know that we were supposed to spend another night here however I don’t want the girls to spend much longer in this house full of ghosts. Would your parents mind if we leave tomorrow in the early afternoon?”

“No offense to your mother but thank god you said that, I don’t think I could spend much longer being polite to a woman who refers to me as a bimbo much longer.”

“You heard that?”

“Course I did, these walls are paper thin you know.”

With that she felt herself drift off to sleep with the familiar feeling of safety within the arms of her love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dislike this chapter but it needed to happen in order to meet Andrea's parents


	8. Standing up for each other

 The next morning was not much better than the night before.  Andy couldn’t bear watching Miranda getting judged over and over and over again by her mother. It was just so painfully at odds with everything she’d previously known of her lover.  It had started with the older of the two going on and on and _on_ about how much time being the editor and chief of Runway takes up in Miranda’s life. Then it was that she didn’t visit her mother enough, then that the twins had managed to get to eight without seeing their grandmother in five years despite the fact said grandmother was perfectly capable of visiting New York. When told this fact the viciousness of the conversation had increased tenfold on her side. When it got to the older of the Priestly woman declaring her a gold digger she felt the need to step in. Looking up into the watery blue eyes of her fiancée told her enough, Miranda was feeling the brunt her mother’s needling attacks.

How that woman couldn’t see how amazing her daughter was she would never know. Andy was never particularly interested in fashion, even after the cerulean jumper episode. However one thing she could never deny was Miranda’s work ethic and drive. The fact that her mother could not even be proud of that was something Andy would never understand. How anyone could think that Miranda was a “layabout who always paid to have underlings take care of her problems” was beyond her. After asking the girls’ if they would wash up after breakfast and then take some time watching the television, knowing that Miranda did not usually allow them time in front of the telly before lunch the girls would happily agree, she then took the older woman to the side.

“I don’t care what happened between the two of you in the past, continue to talk to and about my fiancée like that and we’ll be leaving and won’t be coming back.”

“How threatening, do you think _Miranda_ would listen to you, or that I should take heed of you when you do such a great impression of Bambi?”

“Yes”

“And why is that?”

“Because what we have is based on mutual respect. You are disrespecting her, which in turn hurts her and then hurts me and the girls. Your lack of respect is hurtful; I only hope that you haven’t treated her like this all her life? If so, no wonder she left you.”

“I don’t need to hear this, especially not from _you.”_

“You’re right … you don’t. Which is why we’re leaving. When you decide to treat your daughter with the respect she deserves then by all means get in touch but I will not sit by any longer to allow you to continue to mistreat your daughter, the woman I love with all my heart. Thank you for allowing us into your home and thank you for the meal. You know how to find us.”

With that Andy reached for Miranda’s hand taking them upstairs to collect the luggage that was already packed. It shocked her that Mirabella hadn’t followed them nor said anything to attempt to get them to stay. However she was comparing this woman to her own parent’s so she surmised maybe she shouldn’t have been shocked at all. Miranda had gone white, was standing stiff as a board and was visibly shaking clearly attempting to prevent her tears from falling. Andy had known her long enough to know to leave her and allow her to process everything in her own time. Once the bags were in the car she collected the twins before bundling a still silent middle aged lover into the front seat. Their eyes met briefly in an unspoken agreement before she kissed the crown of silver curls and started to drive.

It was then that the tears descended.

They lasted around 45 minutes, silently descending from those beautiful blue eyes. The girls were thankfully oblivious to the tears though they knew their mother was devastated this meant they tried their hardest to not ask Andy about her family that they were about to meet. Eventually they stopped for food, petrol and a toilet break. It was the first time in 2 hours any of them spoke.

“How come Gramma doesn’t like us?”

“ _Cassidy_!”

“It’s alright Andrea; darling your grandmother loves you, far more than you will ever know. Unfortunately though she feels that I let her down a long long time ago and it would appear that she finds it hard to let that go.”

 “Why does she feel like you disappointed her?”

“Because I left home and decided to stay in New York Bobbsey. When your grandfather became too old to run his tailoring business my family expected me to return home. But at the time I was starting my career at Runway, I had also just met your father. He died before I got the chance to come home and talk to them about it. Your grandmother felt like I abandoned the family. I then became pregnant just after I became Editor in Chief-.”

“Was that us?”

“No Bobbsey, you guys were born 9 years later. I had a miscarriage; my mom blamed me for losing the baby she didn’t do so much as send me a card.”

“So you and daddy split up before we were born?”

“Yes Bobbsey, we had broken up when I found out I was having you. The two of you will bind your father to me forever and me to him, you know I love your father I am simply no longer _in_ love _with_ him, there’s a difference.”

“Are you in love with Andy then?” Blue eyes find brown over the top of auburn hair the slight nod and smirk that Andy sees in return to her grin was all she needed to know the answer, however the reply was enough to make her glow inside.

“Yes Bobbsey, I am very much in love with Andrea. Now, what would my Bobbsey’s like to eat for dinner?” And with that the conversation moved on.


	9. The decorum of her daughters

A few hours later saw the twins asleep in the back of the car giving Andrea a chance to open the conversation that had been burning in her mind for a while.

“You didn’t tell me you’d had a miscarriage?” She hears the intake of breath that indicates Miranda heard, it’s the only indication as Miranda stared out the window.

“I didn’t know how to bring it up; I didn’t want to scare you away with something so emotionally heavy.”

“You could never scare me away. I’m just scared you’re hurting and I can’t help you out.” She takes Miranda’s hand kissing the knuckles after she realises the hand is shaking.

“He was a boy, I was going to call him Andrew but it wasn’t meant to be. It’s been almost 20 years darling don’t worry. Be more concerned that we’re about to be seeing your parent’s. I know I am.”

“You know they’ll love you.”

“They will see me as your terrible, devil-like former boss with an attitude problem and a rod up her ass. Which Andrea is something I couldn’t blame them far.”

 “You know that’s not true.”

“Is it not?” Andrea noticed the pointed glare aimed at her.

“You heard that?”

“Yes Andrea I heard the glowing review your mother gave me last week. I know I’m starting to grow on them but after the past two days I will admit I’m finding myself emotionally exhausted.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll tell them to lay off.”

“Don’t be sorry I know I’m able to handle it I just need a rest.”

They arrive half an hour later with Andrea dragging three very tired Priestly women into a cosy, warm family home emblazoned with Knick knacks and photographs, some with Andrea in. Miranda would admit it was a far more pleasant home than the one that she had grown up in. She’d just do that after she had a nap. Being directed to Andrea’s childhood bedroom she barely looked around the room before lounging back into the single bed and falling asleep before her head even hit the pillow.

Waking up to the smell of a home cooked meal was something Miranda could get used to. Having slept for the past two hours, it appears she’d missed her children pass from the slightly shy, awkward 9 year old phase and move into the “we are the queens of this house” phase. She, of course, was _thrilled_. They would never learn decorum her daughters, but they certainly knew how to keep her on her toes.

She follows the noise into what she assumes is the living room, popping her head around the doorframe she finds her assumptions to be correct. She finds all three of her girls sat on a large sofa with Andrea’s mother and father in two chairs facing them. They had apparently gotten themselves into a large debate over which Disney princess was indeed “the bomb”. The twins had, of course chosen Anna from Frozen (although Miranda knew that Elsa was actually Caroline’s favourite… Andrea knew that also but had kept it quiet, she winked at Miranda when they heard Caroline’s agreement.) Andrea had decided that her favourite was Rapunzel whereas her parent’s had chosen Areal.  Apparently I was the deciding vote.  So _obviously_ I decided upon Mulan, much to Andrea and her mothers’ laughter. The girls grumbled something about her not actually being a princess and Andrea’s father seemed clueless. Miranda stated that she was a strong character and that was what I would desire my girls’ to be like.

The warmth was such a stark contrast to the previous day. It seemed that the warmth, caring and compassion that were often reflected in those familiar dark eyes had been passed on from the previous generation. Andrea’s parents seemed friendly enough, despite their obvious trepidation.

For dinner they’d managed to get the girl’s involved in the creation of homemade pizza, a task Miranda had tried and failed to get them to interact with in quite some time. Seems like the Sachs’ charm had worked on the lot of them. Miranda knew that no matter what her opinions were this family was going to be very important to her in the future. As the night unfolds it becomes obvious that before the children Andrea’s parents were going to be prefect. Once the children had gone to bed she expected to be questioned about her intentions. However that simply did not happen. She was left mighty confused.

“Miranda, Andy was telling me how you proposed to her. I’d just like to say that it was a very nice touch using the coffee cup.” Andrea’s father said. “She also said that your Mom’s been particularly unkind as of late.” Her blue eyes flashed up to meet him with a small nod and down trodden eyes. “Our daughter appears to be pretty happy with you.” She smiles at him nodding again. “I hope you continue to find a way to make her happy.” This time he smiles.

“As do I, I hope I can make her happy for an incredibly long time. If she’d allow me to.”

“Between the two of us Miranda, I believe she’d allow you that for as long as she lives. Your girls are lovely by the way.”

“Thank you.” At that moment Miranda received a kiss to her cheek and a whispered affirmation of the truth in what he had said. She couldn’t believe that this meeting had gone so well. It was a stark contrast to the day before.  “I’m sorry that my mother wasn’t so welcoming to you darling, this hasn’t gone exactly how I’d expected.”

“That’s alright; life generally doesn’t go the way you expect. For example I didn’t expect to be with you and yet here we are.” She winked before a chaste kiss lands on Miranda’s lips.

The rest of the evening continued much in a similar way, ending with a game of Monopoly won by Andrea’s mother.

“You let her win that.”

“I did nothing of the sort.”

“Miranda, you’re the smartest woman I know. Of course you let her win.”

“Okay I _might_ have but please don’t tell her. I just thought it would be a nice gesture.”

“God I love you, I doubt people would believe me if I told them how soft you are.”

“Don’t. You. Dare.”  She receives a tongue flashed from Andrea’s mouth and a “try me”. SO she hurls a pillow in the direction of her lover. How she’d found herself with this woman she would never know.


	10. That's a no to terracotta

The following few days seemed to be a lovely oasis in comparison to the night they had stayed at Miranda’s former home. The stark comparison was so glaring to Andy that when she saw the silver hair of her lover sagging slightly in apparent introspection she felt the need to sweep in to give her a hug. It was amazing that this woman had managed to flourish in the way she did when she thought of the bitterness the elder Princhek woman appeared to have. Her parents were not perfect but they certainly would not have expected her to give up on her dreams for them.

“Never forget that I love you, even when things seem to be going terrible and you don’t feel like you can ever get out of it. I still believe in you.” The blue eyes of her lover flashed up at her but the older woman didn’t say anything. She simply took Andy’s hand and placed it over where her heart was, before nodding once. Andy knew what she meant and smiled.

Soon enough though it was time to return to New York, bidding their farewells and herding two over-enthusiastic children into the car ready for the long journey home in the car. They took turns, they grumbled, they swore they’d never do it again but _eventually_ they found themselves inside the expansive hall of the town house. Andy didn’t think she could be more relieved. Mid-way through the journey the girls had gotten into a fight over what music they wanted to listen to. Then Miranda had gotten into a huff with them over the fighting and had declared that she would pick the music. Which, obviously, meant that there would be no further music for most of the journey. This then meant that the girls would whinge every twenty minutes or so asking how long the journey would last. Until they fell asleep of course…. All three of them. The snores were cute, but Andy had gotten more than a little bored.

Once unpacked for the night they found themselves wrapped up with each other comfortably whilst they both contemplated the past few days.

“Miranda?”

“Mmmmmh?” She hadn’t realised how close to sleep she was, feeling bad about rousing her she ruffled the hair of her lover.

“`I want my dad to walk me down the aisle.” She felt Miranda stiffen and then release in her arms.

“Oh, okay.”

“Is that alright Love?”

“Of course it is, why wouldn’t it be?” She was using the tone that suggests she was hurt but trying not to be.

“Because I can’t give you that.”

“My father did not want me to get married; he died before he saw my marriages break down, thankfully. What I do wish though Andrea, is that my family would come.” She sighed “however I doubt highly that would be happening.” Andy could see the tears as they started to fall down those porcelain cheeks. “However Andrea you, and the reprobates that we call friends I would consider them family if they allowed it. Do you think Nigel would be so kind…?”

She was cut off my being ferociously kisses by one Andrea Sachs.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Andrea, would you like me to take your name?” Where Miranda’s comment came from completely baffled Andy, she’d never really thought about it.

“I’m not sure; I’d assumed that you would want me to take yours?”

“What sounds better: Miranda Priestly- Sachs? Miranda Priestly or Miranda Sachs?”

“Well what about Andrea Priestly or Andrea Priestly-Sachs? Or Maybe Sachs-Priestly?”

“I think I prefer Sachs-Priestly. You hold my heart Andrea, you should be first.”

“Sachs-Priestly it is then love.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Honey….”

“Yes?” The head popped out of the en suite, toothbrush still hanging from her mouth, silver coif not looking too perfect early in her morning routine.

“I want to go with Emily and Nigel to pick my dress. I _know_ I said that I would go with you. _But_ I just don’t want to ruin the surprise. Plus it’s unlucky. _Plus_ we both know that our fashion tastes are different.”  She stopped her rambling when a hand was held up before the silver head disappeared to remove both the toothbrush and the toothpaste from the mouth of her fiancé.

“Darling, if that’s what you wish then who am I to impose. I’m sure Emily would be happy to guide you in what could be considered fashionable.” She pulled a tongue when Andy swiped at her arm playfully. “Nigel however, cannot be trusted; he would simply agree to anything horrible with the knowledge of what that would do to me.”

“I knew I’d always liked Nigel for a reason.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So why is it exactly that you don’t like freesias? But yet you seem to love daises and lilies?” The pause concerned Andy; she looked up from the newspaper to see the swiftly masked sadness in her partner’s eyes.

“They were my mother’s favourite flower. My father had been on the way home for the florists with a fresh bouquet for her when he had the heart attack he died from. I can’t look at a freesia now without crying.” She sniffed. “Do you like freesias Andrea?”

“No love, I was just wondering why the aversion. Thank you for sharing that with me.”

“Lilies I love because they were in the first flowers I gave to you.”

“Oh yeah?” She winked at that comment which leads to a smug smile and a flash of teeth.

“Indeed and daisies I enjoy because it’s the one flower the girls agree is pretty.”

“You’re a funny one Love.”

“How so Darling?”

“Well you give out this persona whereby only the best would please you. Yet here you are telling me that these simple flowers have profound meaning to you. It makes me love you even more.”

“And I love you; we are however _never_ going to have an _orange_ colour scheme.”

“I said terracotta.”

“And. I. Said. **_NO”_**

“….damn.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You honestly want _Patricia_ to be the ring bearer?”

“Darling if we are going to be having this wedding in the Hamptons home then there’s no reason why she can’t?”

“Because she’s a _dog_ , Miranda. We cannot have a _dog_ as part of our _wedding_.”

“She’s not just any dog though Andrea. She’s _our_ dog; she’s part of the family.” Miranda was sulking down at the dog in question, the dog she’d had for years that had cured her fear of dogs after the girls had whinged and moaned for months on end about getting a puppy. The dog that she chose due to her cute looks and sweet nature. The dog that she would choose over most people any day, the dog that still slept in her room, occasionally at the end of her bed (when Andrea was not around). The dog that she was determined to have present at her wedding.

“Fine.” Andy sighs “But I am not taking the blame for this one, everyone there is going to know how much of a softie you are.”

“Don’t worry Darling, I’m marrying you…. They _already_ know how soft you have made me.” She grins at the goldfish impression Andrea did at that reply.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Darling come back to bed it’s too early.” All that Andrea could see of her was her nose and above as the elder of the two snuggled under the covers some more. “The sun isn’t even up yet.”

“I can’t beautiful. I’m too nervous. We’re getting married today.” She grins at her love who is still nesting in the covers.

“I wouldn’t exactly suggest that it is today, it’s barely past three am.”

“I have so much to do to get ready.”

“Yes, _in the morning._ Darling it is the middle of the night please come back to bed.”

“No, its bad luck to see you today before the wedding I’m going to go sleep in the guest room next door.”

“Andrea don’t, please don’t go sleep somewhere else. I won’t be able to get back to sleep.”

“Like I’ll be able to. Next time you see me we’ll be getting married.”  She leans down to kiss the forehead attached to the scowling eyes ruffled above their covers.

“I hate you and your stupid ideas of bad luck.”

“Whatever Priestly you won’t be saying that when we have a long and prosperous marriage.”

“Shut up Sachs.”

“Love you.” She places another kiss on the forehead.

“I love you too.”


	11. Till Death Do Us Part

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why I found this chapter hard to write, I think I've managed to lose my mojo.
> 
> So I apologise that this a) took ages and b) is probably shit :(. 
> 
> I'm just really sorry

When Andy awoke again, in the guest room she was buzzing with an unknown excitement. Turning to note the time (8.30 am) she also noticed that her phone had received a text.

_Miranda: Good morning darling, as usual I have got up before you and have vacated our bedroom for your use. I am with the girls in the kitchen but we will be leaving soon to get ready at Runway. Nigel and Serena are on their way to help you get ready. Love you, always. M xx_

_Andy: Thank you, I’m so exciting I’m vibrating. A. Xx_

_Miranda: I dare say me too. M Xx_

She heard the distinctive set of feet before there was a gentle knock on the door and a head with closed eyes peered through. Andy shut her eyes in turn herself.

“I may not be allowed to see you, but I would like you to know how much I love you and how much I cannot wait till this after-noon.  Have a lovely morning Darling.” 

“You are ridiculous and I love you too. Less than six hours to go!”

“See you soon _me amore_.”

“Don’t pretend to be romantic now Ms Priestly.” She heard the “Pppffft” as the smaller frame of her soon-to-be-wife started to descend the stairs before another knock signalled the entrance of Nigel and Serena.

“Come on Six, it’s about time we scrubbed you up!”

What Andy had not told Miranda was that “scrubbing up” was going to involve a rather drastic haircut. She had been persuaded by Serena that she would particularly suit a short pixie cut and that this was the perfect opportunity to try it out. She’d agreed due to being assured that no matter what her hair would grow out, and that Miranda was more than likely going to enjoy the fashion change.

In the meantime Miranda was wondering whether deciding to go with the backless, fishtail dress was a little bit too much for a woman her age she had considered one of the many suits that she frequented for work, but she wanted the feel that the dress brought, it was definitely for the occasion. She decided to throw caution the wind.

Andy on the other hand had gone for a simple lace dress, it hugged her curves perfectly and wasn’t going to district from her natural beauty, nor would the smile that she knew be plastered on her face.  She had spent her time wondering if Miranda would approve however the dress was right on trend and she loved it, she knew that regardless of what she was wearing Miranda would be happy and that itself made her glow. 

She did however have a small surprise for her soon-to-be wife. Her long chocolate hair was in for a bit of a make-over. She’d instructed Serena that she wanted a bit of a change and having shown her pictures on her phone of the pixie cut that she wanted she then found herself in front of a mirror staring at a very different reflection. Well, I mean…. She was only going to get married once, right?

She decided not to ponder too much about what Miranda was going to say as soon enough there she was. Stood at the entryway into the house’s backyard which was the venue they’d chosen. She could hear the chit-chat that Miranda would surely refuse to get caught into, she knew that Miranda would be entering the courtyard from the side-entrance with Nigel so she was waiting for the music to start to play signalling her arrival before attempting to catch a glimpse of the silver-haired beauty.

She didn’t manage it, however soon enough it was her and her father’s turn. At this point it was hard enough to simply put one foot in front of the other. She was shaking due to both excitement and nerves by the time they locked eyes on one another. The sight before her simply took her breath away.

Miranda for her part had suddenly become obsessed with the vision in front of her. She absent-mindedly pondered if she should mourn the loss of Andrea’s long hair before deciding she couldn’t give a shit she just looked so perfect.

The wedding was a blur and soon enough there they were Wife and wife, to the surprise of Andy’s family it wasn’t Andy who welled up with tears but Miranda. Sporadically through the ceremony she looked across to find those blue eyes shimmering with tears, during the vows the Editor visibly had to clear her throat and start again as her throat was tight with emotion Andy didn’t think she could be moved so much by the fact Miranda allowed herself to display such feeling in front of others. But there she was looking across to her editor wanting to just hold her to stop the crying. When Patricia bounded over with their rings strapped to her it caused another wave of tears in the editor, this in turn made Andy’s decision for her as she gathered her in a protective embrace until the tears died down.

“I love you, I’ve got you, and it’s okay.” She felt a nodding against her throat. Before long though they had placed rings on each other and were told to kiss. Andy saw her happiness reflected in those blue eyes in front of her making a vow to herself to always be there for this woman and the beautiful little girls that stood to the side. ‘Till death do they part.

When it came to the party on the other hand, Miranda was fairly certain she had never seen so many employees drunk before 6pm. honestly if it wasn’t for the fact that it was an open bar she’d have been concerned for their bank balance. Saying that however there was only one woman that she had eyes on, lucky for her those eyes were only trained on her also.

“Darling, would you like to take a walk with me?” The older woman reached out her hand for her new bride to take.  They walked to the far end of the garden, where Miranda had a bench placed so she could overlook her favourite view.  “Andrea Priestly-Sachs, I love you with all of my heart. You’ve opened up the parts of me that I thought that had been closed off forever. I am so so in love with you.” She took Andy’s face to guide their lips together.

“Miranda, I love you too. My gosh, I’m so happy.” She smiled into the kiss whilst she felt her partner nodding.  “Come on Mir’, I can think of somewhere far more secluded I wish to be… Can’t you?”

“But what about the party, the food?”

“We can come back for that but I’ve a final gift for you that I’m sure you’d like to see. Fancy a bit of show and tell Miranda? I show and you tell me if you like what you see?” She winked and chortled as the usually pale complexion of her wife became significantly redder.

“Mmmhmmm, yeah I thought so.”  


	12. Colour coordination

Their honeymoon had been lovely. Miranda had surprised Andy by suggesting they go to the Lake District in the United Kingdom, apparently she had been on one of the few time’s she’d actually enjoyed a break from work having strayed from London fashion week. Having known of Andy’s interest in photography Miranda insisted that she’d enjoy it. Despite the rain, that surprisingly was quite sparse. They’d enjoyed a week starting at Windermere and ending in Edinburgh. During that time they’d enjoyed a steam boat ride along the lake, visited Beatrix Potter’s house, and taken a train up to Waverley station before taking in some of the comedy shows of the festival that happened to be going on. Andy had loved it, the feeling of being relatively anonymous within the tourists as although some observant people had noticed them most assumed that they weren’t who they appeared to “look like”.

On the last day Miranda had a suggestion that Andy never thought she’d hear coming from those lips. “Darling would you be open to getting a matching tattoo?”

“W-what?! _You_ would like a tattoo?” She was met with a determined nod of her head. “You of _all people_ would like a tattoo?”

“Yes Andrea, if you’re opposed to it then pretend I ever said anything. I’m well aware of my feelings on tattoos should the girls come home with something hideous permentantly on their bodies. However I’m _also_ well aware of what the sight of a tattoo on your body would do to _me.”_ She winked at the end of that sentence hoping Andrea was able to understand her, the reddening cheeks suggested she did.

“Alright, what would you like to get?”

“I was thinking the date we got married and the coordinates of where we had it in the house?”

“That’s a lot of numbers?”

“Yes, but they’re numbers that only mean something to _us._ ” She smiled the smile that only Andy ever saw before leaning in for a kiss feeling the nodding of the woman who reciprocated enthusiastically.

“Do you know when you would like to get this done?”

“Today, I’ve booked us in about an hour.”

That would be the unbelievable anecdote that Andy would tell at gatherings to come as to why the two of them had matching tattoo’s just under their décolletage on the right hand side that appeared to be just numbers bungled together. Miranda would always have a sly smirk despite the reddening cheeks whilst Andy would simply roll her eyes and complain about how much it had hurt. Despite them both knowing that it was actually _Miranda_ who had found the pain to be tough, Andy would never betray her persona like that and therefore would always take the fall over it.

As time went on they grew together, Miranda would continue to put her cold feet on Andy’s when in bed wriggling her toes whilst her brunette would groan and attempt to roll away. In the meantime Andy would be hiding her super-secret stash of M and M’s in a hard to reach section of the back of one of the cupboards. Miranda pretended not to know where this was hidden when the girls would ask. Just like how Andy would pretend to not know when Miranda pinched a handful.

Anniversaries were celebrated in variously romantic ways. The first was decedent and glorious. Whilst the second was a little…. Different. Mostly due to the fact that Cassidy managed to break her wrist whilst being overly vigorous whilst playing hockey.  

Andy was fairly certain she’d never seen Miranda seem more terrified in her life.

“Can children die from a fractured wrist Andrea?!”

“I don’t think so Honey”

“What if she does? Oh gosh Andrea I should have been there, I should’ve been watching my baby in her hockey match.”

“Well _I_ was there watching _our_ baby in the hockey match and honestly Honey, you couldn’t have done anything to prevent it. Nor really do I think you would’ve wanted to see it… I didn’t.”

“Do you really mean that?”

“Of course I do, it was gross.”

“No, not that _our baby_ , do you see them as your own?”

“Well… yes? I’m sorry, is that okay with you? I mean truthfully I think I always have. They’re more than just my stepchildren. They feel like my flesh and blood. Even when wounded by hockey sticks and screaming bloody murder.”

“Andrea, of course that’s okay with me. Gosh I’m sorry I didn’t ask you sooner, just with the way Stephen was with them I’ve been too cautious. I mean… they even suggested it before the wedding.”

“Suggested what?”

“Darling, would you like to become their legal guardian? It would mean that should anything happen to me you would become their second parent. It’s like adoption but it allows for James’ rights as second parent.”

“Oh…”

This is the last thing Andrea Sachs-Priestly remembered before passing out in the relatives room of their local hospital. This was swiftly followed with the answer of “yes” and a long discussion over which colour cast Cassidy should choose that was A) reasonably fashionable with clothing and B) unlikely to clash with her vibrant hair. She chose blue, much to her mothers’ pleasure and her twins’ dismay.

“But green is such a good colour Cass.” The disgruntled sigh of both daughter  at the persistence of her twin and mother, at the idea of such an awful colour.

 

Yes, business as usual.


	13. A baby?

“Darling, can I talk to you about something?”

That was what Andy walked into mid-afternoon on a nondescript Friday. Miranda’s head was softly wrapped around the doorframe of the kitchen eyes attentively questioning.  She’d never seen such a hopeful look from the petite frame of her wife.

“Of course…?” At that she found her hand taken as she was dragged to Miranda’s office, noting the spread of papers and documents taking up most of her desk. From a glance Andy could see what had her wife so agitated, her heart glowing at the nervousness she could see in the pale blue eyes.

“Darling, I know we haven’t really talked about this much. So please don’t think I’m going to try to force your opinion, and well there are many different options that we could go around. But I’m not getting any younger…”

“And you would like another baby?” Blue eyes grew wide as recognition set in and she nodded.

“You can say no, and please don’t think that I expect you to go through so much as to carry it. We can sort thi-ummpfff.” A swift kiss shut her up.

“Of course I’m carrying it. Unless you want to? God I love you but sometimes you aren’t half _mad._ How long have you been holding on to asking this?” The reply was around 9 months. “Nine _months_ , honey we could’ve _had_ the baby by then!”

“Do you not think I’m too old though? I mean by the time they’re 25 I’ll be _70.”_

“Hush, everything will be fine.” She looked into concerned blue eyes. “You’ll love them, it’ll be alright.”

So came the farce of _trying_ for a baby.  Andy didn’t think it was possible to come across a catalogue for _sperm_ and yet here they were trying to find as close a match as they could for Miranda. She honestly didn’t think anyone could match her wife; hence they kept coming up naught.

“So here we have “Harry”, he has blue eyes brown hair and a PhD in astrophysics?” Miranda looks up pointing at the advert of a man in his late 30’s.

 “He also has nothing in common with you and appears to be at the start of male pattern baldness.” Andy sighs. “Honey, we want to find someone like _you_ not just a random guy.”

“What about “Lenard”, he has grey hair, is 45 enjoys art and music and sadly has a below average work ethic if his job is anything to go by?” Andy squints at Miranda in reply whispering that she’s not funny.

Eventually they found “Brian” he seemed to match Miranda quite well and neither of them had a huge amount to dispute against.

Saying that though, the fact that they couldn’t just _make a baby_ hung over them slightly. Occasionally Andy would find Miranda sighing and staring off into the distance, when asked she would smile at Andy and say everything was fine but the smile never quite reached her eyes. Andy was certain that it wasn’t through lack of love in the child as she too felt a small tinge of sadness that they even had to pick a donor. Looking at her partner with nothing but love she wished that their child could have the “strong” nose, sky blue eyes, wit and determination of Miranda as well as the kindness and warmth she shared with those closest to her. What she wouldn’t give to just be able to do that. But they couldn’t so she had to stay strong for Miranda. Who she eventually caught crying the night before they were going to “try” for the first time.

Holding a weeping Priestly was more complicated than one might first believe.  At first you will never know what it is that has upset her, it will take you up to an hour of silent weeping/ seething before she will open up to you. She will also cling to you as hard as she can. (This rule includes the twins Andy found out fairly quickly). She will then tell you in the quietest tone possible what the problem is, she will also do this devoid of emotion. Don’t believe the tone of this, it is a defensive mechanism. She may then continue to sob or she may have cried herself out, either way said Priestly will be exhausted and generally falls asleep quickly after the conclusion of such an outburst. This time the fact that Miranda was unable to “provide something so simple” had caused her to feel inadequate and it was this that caused such an outburst. Andy presumed she’d been bottling it up for months, Miranda for the only time in her life wished she was “Brian” and didn’t have to deal with doctors, injections and procedures in order to provide something that had been so natural when the twins’ were born.

Then came the ordeal of the Doctor’s appointment. It wasn’t that anyone there was _homophobic._ It was just the way that Doctor Osmond Andy’s gynaecologist said “conception is more likely to occur after an orgasm.” The matter of fact tone put her on edge, as did the grip that Miranda seemed to have on her right hand. The Doctor set up the injection of “stuff” (the only time Miranda would allow such a description) and left them to it with a wink. It seemed to take forever to either of them to feel “in the mood” in such a sterile environment but they both agreed that such a place was best over trying it at home, at least for now. Eventually things were set in motion and Andy managed to have an orgasm, albeit and awkward one and they both shuffled off home.

When, by some fortunate miracle, the pregnancy test came back positive Andy was faced with an entirely different sobbing from her Priestly. Being kissed from head to toe whilst happy tears leaked from her snow white lovers eyes was a surreal experience. Cradling her abdomen between them she was unsure if this was the happiest day of her life (their wedding and the welcoming of the twins into her life being the exceptions she considered). Miranda looked simply ecstating.

“We’re having a baby?”

“Yeah Mira we are.”

“Darling…. A baby, we’re having a baby.”

The sex was fantastic; she had to admit to herself. An ecstatic Priestly was a particularly fabulous lover.


	14. pickles

“Babe, do you know where the pickles are?” Andy was already holding the tub of vanilla ice cream she’d hoarded in the back of the freezer.  Her spoon at the ready she was obviously already thinking of dunking said pickle into the ice cream. Miranda refused to eat from the same tub purely for this very reason. Since the first month of pregnancy Andy had been having the strangest of cravings and she was finding it increasingly difficult to stomach them.

It had started with the pizza with mustard, peanut butter and salami, then came the strawberry yoghurt with hummus, olives and sardines and now there was this. Either way her 7 month pregnant wife was doing perfect growing their baby inside her. Miranda loved every second of it. She handed her the pickles watching her devour her snack like a malnourished baby bird. It should be disgusting, but it truly wasn’t.

“Have you thought more about what we should call him?” Andy had been against being told the baby’s sex at first, however eventually she had excitedly told Miranda that she “needed” to know. They placed bets between them as to what sex the baby would be. Miranda had been certain Andy was carrying a girl however Andy in the end had been right and he was indeed a boy.

“I’m still unsure, should we go with the same letter as the girls for his name or something different?”

“Something different Darling, we don’t want him to feel compared.”

“True, how about Isaac?” Andy watched as Miranda mulled it over before reminding her that it was the same name as her Uncle and if the girls weren’t named after someone neither should he.

“Jason?”

“No, no Mir that reminds me of the school bully.” They both thought for a while before finally. “Spencer? I mean you said you liked the new line from that up and coming designer Spencer… somebody and I mean, there’s literally nobody I know who is called that so it’s unique… ri.” She was cut off by a swift kiss.

“You were rambling Darling, so you like the name Spencer?” She gets a nod in reply. “What do we think the middle name should be?” Andy points to Miranda suggesting she should pick their son’s middle name. “How does James sound to you? Spencer James Sachs-Priestly?” They both grin and nod before Miranda kneels down in front of her spouse, talking to the noticeable bump with both hands cradling him. “Well hello my Darling boy how do you feel about it huh? Spencer would you like that?” They both feel as he moves slightly in response to the familiar voice of his mother.

“Looks like that’s a yes Mir’”.

“Come on love it’s time for bed, you look exhausted.” A pale hand was extended out as Miranda guided her love back to their bedroom.

Andy, still holding the carton of ice cream followed, allowing her lover to slowly draw a bath and then undress her.

“Are we keeping this with you for a snack or shall I bin it?” she sniggered as this triggered Andy to dunk another pickle into the tub and pull a satisfied smirk as she crunched into it. “I’ll take that as a YES then.”

They slid into the bath, Miranda going in first so that Andy could lean against her and sighed as the hot water soothed aching joints. Soon the ice cream was forgotten as Andy rested against soft skin feeling the warmth of both the water and the body against her.

“Remind me again why I thought this bath was too big to begin with?”

“You said it was “ostentatious”

“I take it back, god I’ve not felt this good all day.” The pale arms wrapping around her helped her feel grounded and safe, she’d been anxious about the baby whilst Miranda had been working and she’d been unsure what to do about it. “I always feel safest when I’m with you.”

“And I you, love. What’s the matter?” Andy had always been easy to read, she hadn’t grown in an environment where you needed to protect your feelings, lest they be hurt.

“I’m scared Mira.” She could feel Andy lean further into their embrace, almost folding in on herself.

“Of what love?”

“I’m scared I can’t protect him, I’m scared of doing anything wrong that might hurt him.”

“We can’t protect him from everything or predict the future, but I promise you at the moment you’re doing everything right for him and together we will work out the rest.” She felt the nod against her shoulder before she recognised the tell-tale signs of her wife starting to drift off to sleep. “Oh no, none of that, come on let’s get to bed.”

It was only once they were wrapped up in bed with a grand total of 12 pillows (10 for Andy, 2 for Miranda) that she allowed herself to worry. _What if_ for all the power and money that she had Miranda couldn’t keep her family safe? That thought made her hold her wife tighter. She’d do everything she could to protect them.


	15. unexpected delivery

“If you could just hold your partner guiding her through the breaths, rub her back, her neck. Anything to calm her down.” Miranda rolled her eyes reminded again as to why she refused to go to these classes with the twins. She watched as the “bubbly” prenatal nurse smiled at Andrea before narrowing her eyes in a glare at Miranda.

“I know you hate this love but I thought it be best to be prepared.” She heard the whisper from her wife in front of her.

“Is this making you feel prepared?”

“Not really…”

“Should we leave?” In response she feels a hand grab hers as Andrea slowly rises and takes her eight and a half months pregnant frame towards the door of the studio.

“ _Ladies_ where are we going?” They hear the alarmed sounds of the prenatal nurse as she comes up behind Miranda. “The session hasn’t finished.”

“Sorry, weak bladder.” Andy calls out as she pulls Miranda towards her.

“You both need to go?”

“Well seen as the toilet is on the way to the exit yes _Marie_ be _both_ shall be leaving yes.” It wasn’t often that Miranda had heard venom in her wife’s voice however it was load and clear as they both rushed away from the petite blonde that held them captive.

“Oh thank god, I thought we would never leave.” Andy said as she felt a cold sweat on her brow and the almost familiar stomach cramp that had been hitting her since the start of the session. “Now, I don’t wish to alarm you honey but I think I’ve got some Braxton hicks.” Miranda nodded in response squeezing her hand.

“Let’s get you home so you can rest? I’ve the afternoon off so we could watch one of those god awful movies you seem to like.”

“Hey! _Mamma Mia_ is a musical phenomenon, besides one of the main characters reminds me of you which is why I like it.”

As the day wore on they watched a film together, Miranda playing “big spoon” on the sofa as Andy would start to stiffen and relax periodically, after the first hour she noticed how the contractions her partner was experiencing appeared to be getting closer together. Once the film had ended she finally voiced what was on her mind.

“Darling, I think you might be in labour.” She heard a moan in return before feeling soft tears on her neck. “Shhhh, it’s okay, do you think you could stand? I’ll ring the car and the hospital then get the bags. It’s a good thing the girls are with their dad isn’t it.” She hoped taking action would make Andy calmer however she heard a whimper before an “oh no… did I pee. Mir’ god, have I pee’d”.  Signalling Andy’s water breaking.

 The next few moments were rushed as Roy arrived helping Miranda to take Andy to the car. As they rushed through the city to the hospital all either woman could think about was the slight panic and excitement running through their minds. Miranda was briefly glad that the twins had been at their fathers’ for the weekend. Although she also knew how monstrous they would be once they realised they’d missed the birth of their sibling. She knew once the baby had appeared they’d need to be rung straight away.

Three hours into active labour and Andy was ready to kill Miranda. Why the hell had she decided to have children, why did she get pregnant? She honestly did not know, all she knew is that everything was Miranda’s _fault._ She both wanted her to keep on with the soothing motion of rubbing her back and handing her water and yet she also wanted her to never touch her again. How dare she reap all the benefits of this child and yet she did not have to grow this baby and she didn’t have to push them out of a teeny _tiny_ whole in her body. Damn her.

Seven hours into active labour and Andy was _exhausted_ she was finally, **finally** fully dilated. Thank. Fucking. God. Miranda had paced, she had napped, she had spoken to the girls, and she had berated Emily about whatever was going on at Runway. She was currently sat behind Andy, “supporting her”, Andy felt that meant rubbing her back and kissing her forehead every now and then. Andy figured that Miranda possibly had no idea what she was supposed to do in that moment. She guessed she could give her a break then, for the time being.

The look on Miranda’s face when their little boy came into the world reminded Andy of the reason why she loved her. They could do anything together, she thought back to the past 12 hours and how loving and caring her partner had been and gosh looking at the two of them just made her heart melt.

“Look at him, Darling look at him you made him.” Miranda was holding the baby up to Andrea’s face after she’d been invited to cut the cord. “You’re incredible” She peppered kisses on the brunette as the placenta passed and the medical staff finally left the room. She could tell how tired Andrea was but nevertheless was pulled to sit on the side of the bed by the hand.

“ _We made him._ Not just me, we _both_ did. I love you.” She soundly kissed Miranda before taking the child from her arms. “And little man it is lovely to meet you. I’m your Mama and this…. This gorgeous lady is your Mom.

“Our darling Spencer.”


End file.
